Review: Tristan's Temptation by Sabrina York

Title: Tristan’s Temptation

           Ellora’s Cave Moderne Series

Author: Sabrina York

Release Date: May 25, 2012

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

Category: Contemporary Erotic Romance

Type: Kindle

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Ms. York’s Website

Blurb:

The red-hot sequel to Adam’s Obsession.Tristan Trillo has one steadfast rule—thou shalt not fish in the company pond. That puts his executive assistant Shannon Weiss firmly out of reach. He tells himself the secret steamy computer simulations he creates—ones featuring a seductress with more than a passing resemblance to Shannon—are enough. But watching the virtual Shannon get spanked or tied up, taken from behind or while down on her knees, just makes him want the real Shannon more.When Shannon discovers the depth of Tristan’s desire, she vows to seduce him in real life, his rule be damned. After a blazing, illicit tryst in Tristan’s office, he insists they can never do it again. So Shannon, ever the obedient assistant, makes certain the next time she seduces him, they do something completely different.Poor Tristan is a man trapped between his steadfast rule and a burning passion. A rock, if you will, and a very hard place.

Excerpt:

It was nearly ten that night when Tristan finally broke down and called her. He used the phone because they’d already done the computer thing and he’d insisted that couldn’t happen again. The phone, for some reason, he could justify.

It took her awhile to pick up, though he knew she was home. He could see the light streaming softly through her windows as he stood on the bluff overlooking her house.

“Hello?” Her voice was soft, watery. Like she’d been crying.

“Shannon?”

“Tristan.” She whispered his name.

“Are you all right?”

She sniffled. “Yeah. I was just, um, watching a movie. How are you?”

“I’m…good.” It was a lie. He was hungry and antsy and annoyed. “I’ve been thinking about you.” Like incessantly.

“Have you?” Her sniffles seemed to have cleared up. She stepped out onto the patio, wearing a terrycloth robe, cell phone in hand, and looked up at his house. He sketched a wave.

“Yes. Have you been thinking about me?”

“A little.” He heard the smile in her voice.

“Just a little?”

“Okay. A lot.” She sat on a lounge chair and pulled a blanket over her lower body. It was a cool night and her legs were bare.

“Did you just get out of the shower?” Something started to simmer in his groin.

“The bath.”

He groaned at the vision her words stuck in his head. “Did you have bubbles?”

“Not tonight. But I could do that, if it would interest you. I’d let you watch.”

“Would you?” He liked that idea. He liked it very much. “Did you touch yourself while you were in the bath?”

She chortled. “Of course, Tristan. But do you know what?”

“What?” He was mindless with curiosity.

“I’m touching myself right now.”

“What?” He almost dropped his cell over the cliff. Jesus. There. On the balcony. Outside.

“Yeah,” she moaned, deep and low. He swore he could see the undulations inside her robe, under the blanket, a quarter mile away. In the shadows.

“Shannon, Jesus. You’re killing me.”

She didn’t reply but her knees rose to points in the distance as she shifted her body. A random observer would have no idea the woman relaxing on the lounger was slipping her fingers into her dripping pussy, but Tristan knew. He knew with a visceral jolt to his solar plexus as he heard her groan, the sharp gasps and the tiny little whimpers of pleasure. “Fuck.” He squinted in a vain attempt to see her better. There in the dark. A quarter mile away.

“Oh yes. Fuck me.” Her voice was like velvet. “I’m so wet for you, Tristan. I’ve been thinking about your big cock all day and I want you in me sooo bad.”

“Do you?” Hell. He wanted that too. More than fucking anything.

“Mmm. Do you know how hard my little clit is? It’s like a stone. So hard. So fat. It feels so good when I touch it. I wish you could touch it. I wish you could lick it. I wish…”

But Shannon was talking to herself. Tristan had severed the connection and was heading for the door, his car keys and his hard-on making twin bulges in his jeans.

Dialogue Highlight:

She had a date.

Tristan stood back in the shadows and glared down at Shannon’s patio. He could

hear the music floating on the night wind through the open doors and he clenched his

fist.

She had a date.

He wished they’d come out onto the patio so he could get a good look at the

bastard. He hoped he was dumpy. Bucktoothed. And bald.

And then they appeared. The two of them. They walked out onto the patio—he

sauntered, the cocky prick—to take in the view. The beautiful, romantic view. Tristan

fumed and glared at the view. Damn that view. Why couldn’t it be hideously repulsive?

And what was with her date?

He wasn’t dumpy. Not in the least. The guy probably lifted weights all day long

To get a physique like that. And he certainly wasn’t bald. And—damn it all anyway—

His teeth were perfect. They glinted in the moonlight when he smiled. Even from here.

Hell.

His heart hitched as Shannon moved closer to the Adonis and slipped into his

arms. Together, they twirled across the patio. Muted music wafted through the still

night on an errant zephyr and he snarled. He slammed into his house and emerged a

minute later with his binoculars. The guy had his hand on the small of her back, fingers

splayed as they danced, and she looked happy. Happy, for Christ’s sake!

Then the guy dipped her. Dipped her.

Tristan’s eyes narrowed when she laughed up at her date as though she was

enjoying this dance more than anything.

Hell. She’d enjoyed fucking him a damn sight more, he’d wager. She’d better have.

When they disappeared into the house, Tristan lost it. He trained the binoculars

 on the sliding glass doors but they didn’t reappear and the music became softer, more

intimate. A new CD came on. Tristan had to strain to make out the slow, jazzy strains

filtering out into the night, but to him it sounded like the perfect music for…

Hell.

He dragged his fingers through his hair, imagining all sorts of sleazy scenarios

until, finally, he couldn’t take it any longer. Knowing he was acting like an immature

ass but unable to help himself, he hopped into his car, sped down the hill to her house

and laid on the doorbell.

The chime echoed through the house but no one answered the door. Where were

they? And what were they doing?

Hell!

Tristan rang the bell again in a staccato fashion and was gratified to hear Bosco

let out a series of barks and growls, his nails scratching against the door. That would

bring them. Wouldn’t it?

And then he heard her voice—music to his ears. “Bos!” she called. “Stop that.”

Tristan smiled as he noted a change in the tenor of her voice. She was coming closer.

The door opened and she was there, bending slightly to hold on to Bosco’s collar

as he attempted to leap on the intruder. She was there and, thank God, fully dressed.

He’d arrived in time to stop any illicit behavior. His feral grin widened.

“Hey, Shannon.”

“Tristan?” Her lovely brow quirked upward, the British form of surprise. “What

are you doing here?”

He leaned against the jamb. “Just came by to see how you’re doing.”

“I have company,” she hissed, throwing a glance over her shoulder into the

living room. Good. They were still in the living room.

“Great!” He pushed past her into the foyer, reaching down to scratch Bosco

Behind the ears. “Can’t wait to meet him.” Ignoring her frown, he strode down the hall.

She sighed as she closed the front door and followed.

Review:

True to form, Ms. York has once again knocked it out of the park with this fabulous follow up to ADAM’S OBSESSION. For those of you who don’t know, Adam is Tristan’s brother. They run a successful company with a friend and have a few – never-to-be-broken rules; one of which involves never ever fishing in the company pond (if you get my drift). Well, Adam goes and breaks that rule when he falls head-over-heels for a co-worker. They go on to hide the relationship and eventually come to an impasse. End the relationship, continue the relationship with his girlfriend working for another company, or suck it up and tell everyone. It’s an erotic romance, so I am sure you know how it ends up playing out.

TRISTAN’S TEMPTATION is similar and we all had a bit of a notion of what might occur within this book. I say that because readers of ADAM’S OBSESSIONS were dropped subtle hints here and there regarding Tristan’s feelings toward a co-worker, Shannon, actually his secretary. We were led to believe that perhaps a bit of Tristan’s animosity toward Adam and Kat’s relationship stemmed from his own longing for Shannon and no way to act on it. At least, that is what I picked up on in Book 1. *wink*

So time has passed just a bit and Adam and Kat are planning their wedding. The company has developed this virtual program that lets the user “role play” his or her fantasies. Well, any scenario really, but hey, fantasies are better use for this program, yes? So Tristan ends up taking Shannon her laptop after she calls off work and inadvertently gives her his. The two go on to hack into each other’s systems and see that each has created fantasies about the other. Turns out both have fantasized about the other for quite some time. Okay, since the day they met, but neither knows this. All they know is that they have a deep desire for one another and no way to act on it with this dang rule in place. Well, Shannon is done wanting and denying herself so she acts. And holy hotness … does she ever act.

The problems come in several forms. Tristan maintains that they can never allow this to happen again each of the first few times they hook up. Then Tristan can’t allow himself to come clean when his feeling morph into something more because he is afraid of what Adam will say. And Shannon can only take so much of keeping her relationship secret because his refusal to come clean smacks of rejection. Anyway, much transpires and eventually he finds himself in basically the same predicament as Adam had. Forced to make a decision or risk losing Shannon, he acts. But it may be too little too late and he soon discovers that he has much more to lose that he bargained for.

Okay, so I usually don’t explain that much, but I really enjoyed this story. I liked that it was reminiscent of Book 1, but still a story all its own. I enjoyed the interaction between Tristan and Shannon and liked seeing how their desire for each other is slowly revealed. The scene where Tristan makes Shannon come clean with how long she has wanted him is beyond hot. *fans self in memory* And of course there is plenty of other smoking scenes that darn near melted my Kindle.

My only complaint was that one aspect of the story was completely predictable. As soon as the slightest hint was mentioned, I knew exactly where the author was headed with it. That said, I enjoyed how it played out just the same.

And Ms. York went one step beyond in writing the sweetest epilogue ever. I absolutely loved how she tied it up. A lot of times after I read a novella I feel like there was so much more to be said after that last line. I stare at the last line like “WHAT?” But there has to be more … and there never is. Hazards of loving short stories I suppose. Thank you Ms. York for allowing me closure with that fabulous epilogue that only enhanced. So, enough blabbering! Read this story! Hell, read both stories! You are sure to enjoy them and you can read them both in one day. I mean is there any better way to spend a day? I think not!  But be careful ~ I may have tempted you, but prepare to become obsessed!

(eBook provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.)